Whatever-you-have-in-the-fridge/freezer-dinner

SB came back from his business trip today. Normally, I would plan a dinner, go to the store, and execute my plan accordingly. Well, this time around things didn't work out quite the same. I didn't get the chance to go to the grocery store because he had the car. When we were living in NYC that wouldn't be a big deal because I could walk to Whole Foods down the street from us. There of course I could get great quality produce, meat or anything my little foodie-heart desired. Now that we live in Chicago it's a little different. The grocery stores that I prefer are just a little too far to walk to. Of course I can't let a little hurdle hold me back from cooking my man a nice meal. Therefore, I'm left with no other choice to make do with what I already have. Make-whatever-you-have-in-the-fridge/freezer-dinner are sometimes my favorite! It's a way to be creative and come up with new delicious dinners that maybe you would have normally not thought of. Well, sometimes they can also be disastrous. But let's not talk about those right now :)

Upon examining my kitchen I find:

In the fridge:
Asparagus
Orange bell pepper
Jalapeno peppers
Worcestershire sauce

In the freezer:
Beef Chuck meat

In the cabinetry:
Brown rice
Beef bouillon
Veggie bouillon
Onions
Garlic
1/3 of a btl of red wine

After assessing my options I decide on the following menu:


Slow cooked Chuck meat in my crock pot with 1 onion (quartered), 4 whole cloves of garlic, 1 jalapeno (halfed and seeded), 3-4 tbl spoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup red wine, 2 beef bouillons (because I don't have beef stock), and about 1/3 of a gallon of water. Pinch of salt and pepper. I throw it all in there and let it cook on low for 6 hours.

I am so happy with the way this came out. I don't think this could have been better if I had planned the meal. Normally when I do meat in the slow cooker I put cans of diced tomatoes in it. This time around, because I simply didn't have any, I didn't and the flavors were amazing! It was a much cleaner, crispier flavor. The tomatoes normally make the sauce a little thicker. In this case it was more like a really tasty, clear broth. I really enjoyed the change of texture in the sauce. And of course the beef was awesome! I love it when it's fork tender and it just comes apart. This recipe is DEFINITELY a keeper!!




Flavored brown rice. I diced half an onion and sauteed it in a little olive oil and 1 tbl spoon of butter with 2 cloves of mined garlic, 1/2 of a diced orange bell pepper, 1 diced jalapeno pepper (seeded) and 1 veggie bouillon. When the onions were translucent I added 1 1/2 cups of brown rice. Sauteed everything together for a minute and then added 3 cups of water, and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil and then cover and let simmer until the rice is cooked all the way through.

I really love the way this brown rice came out. It's definitely got plenty of flavor. Some people love brown rice. I actually think that plain brown rice has tons of texture and I love the way it tastes. But SB hasn't been a huge fan of the whole grain family in the past. In my quest to keep our diets fairly healthy, I try to keep things interesting for SB. I think this also is a great way to introduce your kids to brown rice, because it's just not as boring. I could eat bowls of this, just like that.


Oven roasted asparagus. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Wash, trim and dry the asparagus. Place on cookie sheet and drizzle olive oil over asparagus. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in oven (middle rack) for 15 minutes. Turn them after 8 min.


This is my absolute favorite way to make asparagus. First of all it super easy to make and second, it is soooo delish! The ends get really crispy and taste like they are fried. They also get beautifully caramelized on the outside. Lip-smackingly good! SB's mom always asks me what I put on them, I always tell her it's just olive oil, salt and pepper. She swears I'm keeping a secret from her and omitting some sort of essential ingredient. Then she proceeds to accuse me of lacing it with crack. Haha! I'm telling you - it's that good. You MUST make it!

Happy eating!!

J

Life is short, life is beautiful

Today is one of those lazy Sundays. It's a crisp 49 degrees out but it's sunny, the birds are chirping, and the first bit of greenery is finally sprouting. I can feel and smell spring. It's in the air. What a beautiful day. SB is going away tonight for business for a few days. We decide to stroll to the coffee shop down the street from us, and make every minute of this splendid day count. At the coffee shop I find this:

What meaningful little messages on a little gift card. Life is beautiful and it is the small things that make it so. I hope today you will take a moment to smell the flowers, your coffee, or whatever makes you happy :).

Have a wonderful day and happy eating!!

J

A table in Heaven...

Leaving NYC was sort of a big deal. A big deal in my small world, in so many different ways. I have spent almost 10 years of my life in NYC, longer than any other city in my life. I feel that it was in NYC that I grew into my grown-up shoes, where the training wheels came off - the place where I came into my own. They call the first few years of your life the formative years, but they don't tell you that it takes so much longer to figure out who you are and where you will be heading in life; what makes you happy and what makes you not - and that sometimes, along the way, it hurts to figure these things out. I can't say I have figured everything out completely, but I can say that I have a much better idea than the wide-eyed, green-behind-the-ears, little girl, that moved to New York City 9 and some years ago. I have spent some amazingly happy times in NYC and some not so delightful ones. I have put some meaning and experiences behind the words "happiness comes within" and "it doesn't matter where you are or what you have but who you are with." I have met some of the most interesting, crazy, outrageous people. I have formed some incredible friendships I know will last for a lifetime and spent time with others I was lucky to share part of a journey with, theirs and mine. But most importantly, it was there that I met my very best friend, lover, and soulmate. Since SB came into my life, so many things have changed, in all the right ways. I admit all this may sound a bit cliche, but I can't help it :). Who knew that one day I would turn into this cliche of a woman, and who knew it felt so good! I'm ok with it. More than ok.

When the news came that SB got a promotion and that it would be taking us away from NYC to Chicago, we were beyond excited. Excited to uncover a new city, find a new home, see new places, eat at new restaurants, meet different people and fill our journey with new experiences together. Having said that, we both knew that we would be leaving NYC with nostalgia in our hearts. How could we not? It was the end of an era and the beginning of another. The weeks leading up to the move were filled with organizing, packing, tying up loose ends, me trying not to go crazy but most importantly, frantically trying to eat at as many restaurants possible. Restaurants that we either loved, or have been wanting to try. Naturally, we were not able to go back to all of our favorites, because we ran out of time and frankly, clothing that we could fit in. However, we were able to make it to Do Hwa for the egg battered cod, to Otto for the truffle pizza, to Freeman's for the artichoke dip, just to mention a few. YUM!!!! My mouth watered just typing that. However, to top it all off, to celebrate SB's huge accomplishment, reminisce our times in NYC, and cheers our impending move, we went to no other place but the culinary dynasty: Le Cirque. What a truly special experience that was. The food was spectacular! However, part of the experience is the history of the restaurant.

Here are a few fact about the restaurant: Le Cirque is a French restaurant, founded by and Italian man by the name of Sirio Maccioni in 1974 and is now run by his sons. As far as I know, it is the only restaurant of its caliber that is family operated. In fact it is so special of a place that it was the subject of a documentary film named, Le Cirque: A table in Heaven. You may also previously have eaten inventions of Sirio's without even knowing it! Does "Pasta Primavera" ring a bell? But without further ado I want to share with you what we ate that night.

We started our tasting menu with beet soup, with horseradish creme. I LOVED it. It was salty, sweet, creamy and the little bit of dill gave it a fresh finish.

This escargot beignet was served with the beet soup. I never thought I would rave about escargot anything, but I am about to. THIS was simply scrumptious. It was crunchy and soft at the same time, with a hint of sesame flavor. And surprisingly, it didn't very much taste like escargot at all! Maybe that's why I liked it.

Next up was the Foie Gras, Rabbit & Bacon Terrine with Granny Smith gelee and Kabocha squash. What was great about this dish is that it had all the texture and flavor contrast that I love. The Foie Gras, Rabbit and & Bacon Terrine was salty with a bite, the Granny Smith gelee was cold and soft, the squash was hot, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. It was hot and cold, salty and sweet, soft and crunchy. YUM!!

This was the Australian King Prawn with spaghetti squash, curry, lime and ginger. This was one of my favorite parts of the meal. It was just fantastic and I wish I had 10 of these on my plate. The flavors of this dish very much reminded me of Thai food but maybe just a little more refined. It was just a cloud of Thai deliciousness. It was salty, creamy, and the curry was mild and not at all overbearing, as it can be at times, I find. I wanted to lick my plate. Seriously. SB said "simply awesome."

This was the Wild Burgundy Escargot, Gruyere Gnocchi and pickled Chanterelles. This was probably my least favorite dish out of all of them. It was a very fragrant dish and smelled fantastic. The flavors were great, I just could not get over the texture of the escargot. I just couldn't get it out of my head. I had one and let SB finish the rest. He was happy about that - he loved them.

Roasted Lamb Chop. Now, normally when I go to a restaurant, lamb isn't necessarily the first thing I pick out. For SB it often is. He loves lamb! In fact, he might have a canvas bag, at out apartment, that reads "I heart lamb" (just kidding - sort of). Anyway, according to SB, this was some of the best lamb he has EVER had. It was tender and roasted to perfection. This was without a doubt his favorite part of the meal.

Now, to my favorite part of the meal: Paupiette of Black Cod, leeks, crispy potatoes, rocca di frassinello sauce. This was simply heaven. I actually might not have the words to describe this. The fish was soft and flaky, the potatoes on the outside salty and crispy, and the sauce was beyond words. I could eat this every day for the rest of my life. In fact, I might have to kidnap the chef and chain him my kitchen. It is that amazing!

Last but not least: the desserts. The pictures are pretty enough to speak for themselves!

Chocolate soufflé

Lime Parfait meringue and winter citrus fruit

Crème Brûlée "le cirque" - Originated from the Spanish dessert Crema Catalana and means "burnt cream." According to the Maccioni's the sugar on top has to be brown sugar and must be caramelized under the broiler. As you eat this scrumptiously, finger-lickingly yummy dessert, you will uncover the recipe at the bottom of the dish. Very cute :)!

What a beautiful meal it was to conclude a beautiful journey...

Happy eating!!

J

New state, new city, new home, new adventures...

Hi guys!

I'm back! So much has happened since I last posted an entry. As you guys know when I last talked to you I was in the midst of a little thing called "moving halfway across the country." I can't reiterate enough how much I truly loathe moving. It really just makes me want to pull my hair out. Needless to say, for quite some time I was just caught up in moving hell, doing my best to keep my sanity. Having said that, I have had also my share of fun food adventures (one involving a WHOLE goat leg!) that I just can't wait to share with you all! Now that I feel slightly more sane and a little less crazed and neurotic (and let's face it my normal is always somewhere in between those two), I am ready to embark on new food adventures with you guys in my new town!!

See you guys soon! Happy eating!!

J

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

I'm sitting in the Lavazza cafe in downtown Chicago. SB and I have spent a whirlwind 3 days trying to lock down an apartment here. It has been an exhausting 3 days but we couldn't be more excited. Chicago is BEAUTIFUL! It's even more beautiful today as it has started snowing last night and everything is covered with white. Everything looks so romantic and festive. BUT as it turns out, our flight has also been delayed for a few hours. To be expected, right? Well, on the bright side, I am eating a wonderful Prosciutto sandwich with brie and arugula. YUM!!!! Yes, it is 10am in the morning - so what??? SB is giving me a hard time, but whoever said you can't have cold cuts in the morning??? I'm a rebel - I'm gonna do what I want and eat it whenever I want. BITE ME! Ha ha!

Hope you guys are having a wonderful Saturday, eating something fabulous and delicious wherever in the world you are. Keep your fingers crossed for us that we'll leave sometime today!

Happy eating!!

J

I'm moving on, I want the world to know, la la la laaa....

My motto right now should be boxes, upon boxes, upon boxes! If you were me right now, sitting here in our TriBeCa apartment, you would look at boxes and more boxes, no matter what direction you would look in.

I like being organized and having every little item in its very own, little place and home. Needless to say that this disaster of an apartment is driving me a tiny bit (A LOT) insane!! So right now, I'm taking a little break from speaking to realtors on the phone, assembling boxes, wrapping things in bubble wrap, stacking more boxes and creating a somewhat organized chaos. Btw - I LOVE popping the bubbles in the bubble wrap. What is it that is so satisfying about popping bubbles?? It makes no sense - but it's completely addicting, isn't it? Anyway, moving on... as I am packing I get an email from a friend asking me for the Julie's Thanksgiving 2010 Cocktail recipe. And a light bulb went off in my head. It suddenly dawned on me! A good old Happy Hour or "Packing Day" cocktail would make this entire process so much more fun :)! Let's be honest here, this cocktail is fantastic ANYTIME, and as far as I'm concerned it doesn't have to be Thanksgiving. It is so refreshing, so delicious, simply tastebud-tantalizing. Heck, if you find yourself packing one day, have this drink and think of me :)! I promise you, packing will be more fun. I still have all the ingredients left over from Thanksgiving; packing-day-cocktail time it is!
All you need is:

• Lemons
• Limes
• Mint
• Sugar
• Club Soda or Tonic Water
• Ginger syrup
• Your choice of vodka

Here is what you do: In a glass add (2) slices of lemon, (2) slices of limes, a handful of mint leaves and (2) tablespoons of sugar and muddle them together. If you don't have a muddler, just use a spoon, that's what I did. Or anything that you think is good for smushing all the ingredients together (I know I'm getting quite technical here LOL). The sugar will start dissolving during this process. Add (2) shots of your choice of vodka (any citrus vodkas would be delicious too) and some ice cubes and top with club soda or tonic water and finish off with a splash of ginger syrup. Ginger syrup is quite easy to make. Take (1) cup of water, (1) cup of sugar, a few slices of ginger and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Don't bother peeling the ginger. It's only there for flavor and won't end up in the drink anyway. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes and voila, you have ginger syrup. Let it cool completely before you add it to your drink.

Garnish and drink!! Happy Packing-Day or Doing-Laundry-Day or Whatever-you-are-doing-at-the-moment drinking!!

J

Thanksgiving dinner for 4

Turkey Day this year is going to be a little unusual for us. Normally we would fly to Hilton Head and Pappa Dukes would make his fabulous turkey on the grill. We would then sit down, say grace and have a feast, with all the Thanksgiving trimmings, with SB's family and his extended family.


We would then probably pass out in a food coma to only wake up to go back for seconds or thirds (but who's counting). Well, this year around, things are a little different. With our pending move to the Windy City and all that goes along with an out of state move, time is of the essence. As sad as it is, we won't be able to make it to see SB's family :(. Fortunately, my brother and his lovely wife are driving down from Boston to spend their holiday with us. Therefore, this year around, I will be cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Now, if I were cooking dinner for a large group of people, I would definitely go with turkey because - well - it's Turkey Day, right? In this case however, since it's only going to be the four of us I feel like making a big ole turkey is just a huge undertaking. Having said that, I still want it to feel like Thanksgiving and I don't want to go without all the traditional trimmings. So I asked myself what would feel festive and go well with the cranberry sauce, the apple compote and all of the other lovelies. I concluded: pork roast!

Julie's Meltingpot Thanksgiving Menu 2010

Boneless Pork Loin Roast
marinated in a garlic, olive oil, lemon, thyme, sage mixture; wrapped in bacon

Julie's Garlic Mashed Potatoes
with cream and butter

Julie's Stuffing
with apple, bacon, celery, carrots and a hint of maple syrup

Julie's Cranberry Sauce
with orange juice, maple syrup and lemon zest

Julie's Apple Compote
with caramelized onions and a touch of maple syrup

Oven Roasted Vegetables
Carrots, fennel, onion and garlic

Green Bean Casserole
prepared by E.S.

Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts
prepared by E.S.

Julie's Homemade Sweet Rolls

For Dessert:

Julie's Tart Apple Pie
served with homemade whipped cream

Bourbon Orange Pecan Pie
prepared by E.S.

Julie's Thanksgiving 2010 cocktail
muddled lemon, lime, mint, with sugar; topped with Grey Goose vodka, club soda (or Tonic) and homemade ginger syrup

On a concluding note, I wanted to say Thank you to my wonderful boyfriend SB. You are the love of my life, my best friend, and my rock and I am deeply thankful that life has brought us together because I simply could not imagine it without you in it. Thank you to my mother, without whom I would be nothing and have nothing. Thank you for your love and all the sacrifices you have made (and there are many) to give me a chance at a wonderful life. Thank you to SB's parents for your unconditional, unwavering love and support. Thank you to the rest of our families, extended families and friends for always being there for us. Lastly but not least, I give Thanks to all of you, my readers who keep coming back and supporting my blog. It truly means the world to me. I hope that all of you have a spectacular Thanksgiving with your families and all your loved ones.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Eating!!

J

Banana bread and the Windy City

Julie's Meltingpot is moving to Chicago! Lots has been going on... lots to fill you guys in on. SB got a promotion within his company and it is taking him to Chicago. YAY to SB!!!! Because I love him and couldn't imagine my life without him, I am going with him :) (everyone say aawww :). Since I have posted my last entry I have rearranged, repainted our apartment, moved a whole bunch of stuff to storage (because I felt inspired to make it cozier and prettier in our apartment) to only move all our stuff back from storage to be reorganized and packed up, paint the apartment back to white and get us ready to ship out to Chicago. Funny how life plays these little jokes on you sometimes.

Well, needless to say that life has been sort of hectic, trying to get organized and get ready for our pending move. While we are sad to leave our friends in NYC behind, we are truly looking forward to a new chapter in our life. We look back to our time and memories in NYC with a great sense of nostalgia and yet look toward our future in Chicago with a heart full of hope. Everything has been incredibly exciting and SB and I couldn't be happier about these wonderful changes that are happening in our lives but moreover to be so lucky to experience these things together. THAT is what makes all of this so special. Nonetheless, because of the type A personality I can be at times, I stress myself out a little more than is quite necessary.

When I get crazed there are only a few things that can calm me down and baking is one of them. For some reason baking has sort of a therapeutic effect on me. It is soothing to my soul. Especially baking something that brings back comforting or childhood memories like, banana bread.


I don't really quite remember the first time I've ever had banana bread. But as long as I can remember banana bread has been a part of my childhood. I've always asked myself as a child why banana bread was called bread when it always tasted and felt more like cake or a treat to me. To this day I still haven't quite figured out the answer. However, what I do know is that it's sweet, it's spongy and such a comforting treat, especially when it's fresh out of the oven. When you cut into loaf the steam that comes out is this heavenly fragrance that has this love affair with your nostrils. It's pure comfort, pure love. I really believe that the beautiful part of it is that it is simple and it is that which reminds people of the kind of simplicity of childhood. It's true for me. I have always believed that some of the most beautiful things in life are the simplest.

The recipe I use is straight out of the Pillsbury cookbook, which is my go to guide for a lot of baked goods I make. I have modified the recipe a little bit (of course!) - I always have to change things around. I have a hard time sticking to recipes exactly. (Hmmm, I wonder what that says about my personality LOL).

Here it goes:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened (I think vegetable oil is ok too - actually keeps the loaf moist longer)
• 2 eggs (I use extra large eggs or 3 large eggs)
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 2 medium mashed ripe bananas (but I always use 3!!!)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional. I leave them out because SB doesn't really like them)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 9x5 or 8x4-inch loaf pan. In large bowl, cream sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs; blend in bananas, milk and vanilla. In small bowl, combine flour, nuts, baking soda and salt; mix well. Add to creamed mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes; remove. Now, the Pillsbury cookbook that says "cool completely on wire rack" but I say: nonsense. While it is still warm, cut yourself a slice, put some butter on it and EAT! I think it tastes even more amazing when it is fresh out of the oven and warm!

Happy eating!!

J

Crepes for every soul

I love crepes! I grew up near the Alcace region in Germany where crepes are quite common. I've therefore, been eating crepes since I've been a little girl. But as far as I am concerned, no matter which way you slice it or dice it, everyone loves crepes. I've never met a single person who hasn't loved them. You can make them for breakfast, dinner, dessert or even a midnight snack - and the beauty of it all is, that they are super simple and easy to make. I feel like there is a crepe for every person in the world because you can make whatever topping moves you at the moment and create your very own custom crepe.

When I went to Hilton Head to visit SB's family (along with my own) I made crepes for breakfast and they were a huge hit. My mom and I were the first ones to wake up one particular morning, so we decided to go on a little adventure and look for a grocery store to get all the ingredients. Well, to make a long story short, it took us longer to find the store than to make the actual breakfast for everyone! But after 8 U-turns and many miles driven way too far, we finally found and conquered a grocery store.

The crepe recipe I use I get straight out of the Pillsbury cook book:

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl by hand or electric mixer. Rest the batter for a few minutes so that the air bubbles have a chance to settle. Heat a little non-stick pan to a medium heat, melt a little butter or veggie oil (I also like to use Pam - makes life so easy!) in the pan. Try to stay away from olive oil - it has too strong of a flavor and will overpower the crepe. Scoop about 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan. Spread the batter quickly by swirling the pan. After a minute or so check the bottom side of the crepe for a lightly golden brown color and flip it. Play around with the heat a little. Usually it takes me 2 crepes to get the temperature of the pan just right. This recipe makes about 20 crepes. As far as the toppings go, you can top it with really anything your little heart desires. When I am making this for other people I generally make at least one savory and a few sweet option. Typically I will set up all the toppings buffet style and everyone can help themselves.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Sliced Black Forest ham and sliced Swiss cheese (melt it in the pan and then roll it up and serve)


• Mascarpone (or cream cheese / butter / ricotta cheese) with jam


• Mascarpone (or cream cheese / butter / ricotta cheese) with sugar or cinnamon sugar


• Sweetened mascarpone (or cream / ricotta cheese) mixed with lemon or orange zest and topped with sliced, sugared strawberries (or any other berry or fruit of your choice).

• Whipped cream with melted Nutella

• SB's personal favorites: with peanut butter and my mom's homemade blackberry jam or just nutella!
  

They are so succulent and amazing my mouth is watering just thinking about them!!!

Happy eating!!

J

Crust making demystified

After and extended hiatus I have finally returned to the world of blogging - and it feels so good to be back! As much as I love love LOVE blogging I got momentarily swept away by work, family, friends and all the other beautiful intricacies of life. I'm sure you all know what that sometimes feels like.

I however, come back bearing good - wait, let me take that back - GREAT news. During my sabbatical, if you will, I have become and American citizen! YAY! Wooohoooo!!!! It has been such a long, windy and sometimes challenging process that it still hasn't quite sunken in yet. There were definitely times I thought this day would never come. After being here for so long I have always felt like an American deep down inside but for it to be finally official feels pretty darn incredible!

Me outside the courthouse in New Haven, about to be sworn in :)

Now that I have shared some of my good news with you, back to the food. Even though I've been gone for a bit, I don't want you all to think that my blog has become crusty. So I thought it would only be appropriate if I dedicated this entry to crust - pie crust to be specific. And in keeping with the theme, is there anything more Americana than pie??? Now, I know that crust for some can be sort of a mystery. I used to feel that way too, but I discovered it doesn't have to be. I was watching Ina Garten on the Food Network one day and saw that she was using a food processor to make her pie crust. I had never tried that before and thought that it looked easy enough. At that point I had nothing to lose - all my other methods were less than desirable. Well, lo and behold, it was easy breezy! I have since then used this recipe a bunch and it has always come out beautifully. I use it for all kind of things: pies, tarts and chicken potpie to name a few. I use it all the time to make tarts because it is soooo easy and super delish! So here it goes:

For the crust:

• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Pulse a few times to mix the dry ingredients together. Then add

• 12 tablespoons of very cold butter, cubed
• 1/3 cup of shortening

Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour 1/2 cup of ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. I have found that I could keep the dough in the fridge up to 2 weeks. This recipe makes enough dough to cover a 13" by 18" cookie sheet, or 3 open-faced pies / tarts.

After the dough has chilled for at least 30 minutes I roll it out, butter a pie dish and line it with the dough. For the topping, I have used anything from peaches, plums and apples. For my go to tart I use about 3 tablespoons of my mother's blackberry jam to cover the bottom of the crust. I then slice enough plums and peaches to cover the jam in a scalloping manner. I then take about 3 tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle it on top. I have also used this recipe without any jam and it came out just as delish. When I use apples for this, I like to use cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top.

To finish it, I top the tart with about 6-8 tablespoon of cubed butter before it goes in the oven at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes. Baking times will vary depending on how ripe the fruits are and what kind you are using.

I know it seems like a lot of instructions - but trust me this is easy breezy and your guest will be so impressed. Top it with a little whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and you are golden!

Happy eating!!

J

Slice of Heaven

Image from www.ottopizzaria.com (not the described pizza below)

Over the past year and change, SB and I have gotten into the tradition of going on date night once a week. Or at least we try. With our schedules being exactly the opposite schedules, and our intermittent travel, that's easier said that done. SB, being the hard worker that he is, works A LOT and I usually work when he doesn't work. See what I mean, it can get complicated. But having said that, that is pretty much everyone's story. Isn't it? Life just gets busy. And somehow as times goes by, life only gets busier, schedules get fuller, and days somehow run out of hours faster than usual.

But I strongly believe that it is important, that no matter how crazy life gets, to stop every once in a while to smell the roses. And that's what SB and I told each other when we first started dating. That no matter how far along we were in our relationship, we would never take each other for granted. We would always make each other a priority and create opportunities to show how much we truly appreciate each other, how lucky we are to have one another. Sometimes that's on a Friday, sometimes on Saturday, but if it has to be a Monday or Tuesday or any other night - so be it.

Well for our date night this week we went to Mario Batali's OTTO. I had been dying to go there forever. To top it off, my friend Linds had recently told me about this pizza there that she has been addicted to. So the decision was made - OTTO it was. I don't like being in the dark about things, especially when it comes to food. When we headed to the restaurant, I never went with the intention in mind to blog about it. Let's be honest, it's Mario Batali's place. He simply rocks. I mean he's an Iron Chef! How can it be bad right? So do we really need me to tell the world how good he is? I didn't think I needed to because it would just be stating the obvious. Well - I am going to anyway, because I can't keep it inside! It was AMAZING! Mario Batali: you're a GENIUS!!! I bow down to you. I might even kiss the ground you walk on...

This pizza that is on the special menu, is TO DIE for!!!! I wish I had brought my camera and notebook with me so I could share the details with you. I didn't bring them because I wasn't going to blog about it (!) - such an amateur move. (Never again will I go anywhere unprepared!!) I believe it has mozzarella cheese, sliced black truffle, some sort of diced cured meat and a sunny side up egg on top of it!! It is outrageously fantastic, ridiculously delicious, mind-blowingly satisfiying and every other superlative I might have left out! Pleeeeaaaasssseeee - go make yourself a reservation and get yourself a slice of HEAVEN!!!!!

Happy eating!!

J

Bulgogi - Beef Korean Style

This is probably one of my all time favorite dishes from growing up. It is the kind of comfort food that brings me right back to my childhood. I remember when my mother used to cook this, the smell would perfume the entire house, and every minute I had to wait to eat was torture! I'm salivating just thinking about it.

I thought that it was just me (and probably every other Korean child) that loved this dish, but it isn't so. When I made this for SB for the first time, he couldn't get enough of it. I believe the words out of his mouth were "I could eat this every day for the rest of my life!"

But without further ado here it is:

• 2 lbs of beef sliced into thin strips against the grain (any cut of your choice is fine - obviously the more tender of a cut the better but you don't have to go crazy)
• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons of Mirin
• 1/4 cup of beef broth (or water is fine too)
  
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger (or ground through microplane)
• 3 cloves of minced garlic (or ground through microplane)
• 1 small onion julienned
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 diced green onions
  

In a mixing bowl combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, Mirin, beef broth (or water), ginger and garlic and toss the beef strips in the marinade and set aside. In a frying saute the julienned onion in olive oil. When the onions are translucent, turn up the heat to high, and all the entire beef marinade mixture. Cook until the beef is cooked through. The cooking times will vary depending on how hot the pan is and how thinly sliced the beef is. Turn the heat off and as a finishing touch sprinkle the green over the top and it's ready to be served. I will generally served with over brown rice with a side of kimchi. In Korea no meal is complete without a side of kimchi :).

Happy eating!!

J

Eat at eat!

Tuna tartar, wasabi honey ginger, avocado chutney, soy ginger

I don't know about you, but for me, every once in a very rare while I experience those special, key moments in life, when everything comes together perfectly in front of my eyes. When everything just seems to make perfect sense and a feeling of peaceful happiness fulfills me. I really don't know any other way to explain it but to call it a visual and visceral epiphany of sorts - although I don't think that description really does it justice either. The kind of moments that make you feel like jumping for joy, laughing out loud, wanting to cry out of happiness - and all at the same time. And somehow you just end up with a big grin on your face, while everyone else wonders what is the matter with you. But I'm sure you know what I mean. They are those moments you wish you could bottle up and keep with you forever. The kind that fills you with a deep sense of gratitude. These moments that give you the kind of serene knowing that, as confusing, complicated and challenging this world may be at times, that everything has its perfect place in this universe and everything truly does happen for a reason.

I feel as though I have uttered these words so often, mindlessly, as sort of a mantra, as I do my best to navigate through this labyrinth called life. But in gifted moments of clarity these simple words resonate so true within.

That is exactly what I experienced at eat! in Hilton Head. Everything in my life leading up to that moment made perfect sense and it was beautiful sight. It was one of these momentous occasions for me that will forever be etched in my memory. Momentous not because anything big or extraordinary happened but because it was simple and therefore perhaps extraordinary in its own right. Life at that moment was reduced to what is truly the only important thing in life, to me: family and the people I love. Kind of like a sauce that you reduce to its essence. All the excess and unimportant things evaporate and what you are left with is the heart and soul, the backbone. For the first time, I was with my family and my SB's family together at one table, sharing a spectacular meal. I was in the company of the most important people in my life and I couldn't imagine anything better than that.

We were laughing, eating, translating, sharing stories, hand-gesturing and chatting eagerly like reunited old souls. We were celebrating Momma B's birthday, our families and the gift of each and every day of good health.

The gang: Pappa Dukes at the head of the table; to the right of him in order: SB, me, Mamma, the little one and Wonni. To the left of Pappa Dukes: Momma B, Pies, Gibs, MS and KB.

Now, I am sure you are curious about the food. I mean after all this is a food blog of sorts, right? Well, let me tell you - it was fantastic! The restaurant is owned by chef Robert Irvine of Food Network's Dinner: Impossible. It comes as no surprise after you eat his food that he once was a White House chef and also worked on Charles & Diana's wedding cake. I will let the pictures do most of the talking, but I urge you - if you find yourself in the Hilton Head area, make yourself a reservation at eat!. You won't regret it.

Cornmeal crusted oysters, Tabasco butter, blue cheese, Asian slaw
This was my mothers favorite dish. My Mamma thinks similarly to me in this regard: how can a meal that includes oysters be a bad one? It can't. The crunchiness or the cornmeal and the slaw provides a very nice contrast in texture. This dish is definitely not your traditional fried oyster. It's a must try!

Blackened snapper and grits, bay shrimp, tomato havarti grits, red pepper goat cheese coulis, balsamic
This, as it was explained to us by the waiter, would be their signature dish if they had one. One of the most popular items on the menu. 4 people from our gang ordered it and loved it!

Fried green tomatoes, brown butter, feta cheese, balsamic
I mean, you can't go to the South and not have fried green tomatoes, right? This was a first for me and my family and we loved it. But then again, can you think of anything that is fried and doesn't taste good?

Seared diver scallops, cajun spice, mango butter
I loooove me some scallops. To be honest, I haven't met a scallop that I didn't like (so far, at least). This was no exception. Yum, yum, yum!!!

Pan roasted free range chicken roulade, pork sausage stuffed, pan jus, roast vegetable couscous
YUM!!!

Pan seared breast of duck, black bean more, cherry gastrique, cilantro and micro herb citrus salad
My mother orderd this dish and loved it. I must warn you though, if you try to order this dish anything but rare the waiter may bite you head off. My mother isn't a big fan of rare meats and prefers them at medium temperature at the least. Well the waiter insisted and was quite adamant about serving this duck rare and if she wanted it cooked anything more than medium "she should order something else." It was definitely one of the more interesting conversations I've had at a restaurant. lol

Fennel brined pork chop, orange pepper gastrique glaze, house made kraut, veal stock
DE-LISH!!! I just love a good pork chop. This was everything I was craving at the time. It was hearty but lean. It was sweet and savory and it was cooked just the way I like my pork: medium ;) with just a little pink in the middle. My mouth is watering just thinking about this dish.

Lobster mac & cheese
Need I say more?

I am showing you only a fraction of the food that we had. I think we ordered pretty much one of each item on the menu (whoever said our families love to eat??). By the time the appetizers were consumed I was already bursting out of my seams. I was so grateful that I had chosen to wear a forgivable and expandable dress versus pants. It may have gotten ugly. What we accomplished that night truly bordered on competitive eating. And just to drive my point home here's a photo of one out of 4 desserts we ordered:

eat! gets 3 and 3/4 out of 5 meltingpots!

Happy eating!!

J

Pizza Pizza Pizza

After an extended hiatus I have returned to the world of blogging!

I thought a perfect way to return - is with pizza! Everyone loves pizza, right?? From a recent get-together that SB and I hosted we had a lot of cheese leftover. It was too precious for me to throw out but at the same token way too much for two people to possibly consume. I thought about how I could put all this cheese to good use. I thought about Mac and Cheese but somehow that didn't excite me and then I thought about Fondue but for that I didn't have enough of the right cheeses. The only option in my mind left was (yes, you guessed it): Pizza! Ahhhhh!!!!


I remember growing up in Germany, pizza was always one of my all time favorite foods to eat. But it was also one of my favorite foods to make. Some of my fondest memories of my childhood are in the kitchen with my mother and my brother and sisters. We would knead the dough, throw flour at each other, laugh together, and throw any toppings we wanted onto the pizza. (OK - so perhaps not one of my mother's fondest memories as she was left to deal with the mess and destruction that we left behind in the kitchen). The anxious wait to eat what we had made always seemed to last forever. But when we finally got to eat it, it was so satisfying, and perhaps as a child even a little tastier knowing that we had made it ourselves.

Now as an adult I still enjoy a good pizza and there is still something so satisfying about getting your hands dirty and kneading the dough. I know, some might still prefer to have a big, sweaty, hairy Italian dude get his aggression out on the dough. Let's be honest here with ourselves, that is how it's been done traditionally. Not that there's anything wrong with that - but why let him have all the fun?? I'm telling you if you have never done it before you're missing out! You might find it quite enjoyable; plus every now and again it's nice to defy tradition.

I got this recipe for pizza dough from Giada on the Food Network:

• 1 pack dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cup warm water
• 5 cups flour
• Pinch of salt

In a bowl combine the warm water and yeast and stir a little to dissolve the yeast. In a separate bowl combine the flour and salt and mix. Combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix. Dump the mixture onto a clean working surface and start kneading the dough. Now - I have found that 1 1/2 cup of water (as the recipe calls for) was not enough. So much of baking and working with flour depends on environmental conditions, such as humidity as well. In my case I needed about another 3 tablespoons of warm water to get the consistency that I wanted. My suggestion is, as you knead the dough add additional water one teaspoon at a time and see how the dough comes together. You want the dough to be soft, smooth, workable, elastic but not stick to your hands.

Then place the dough in a greased bowl with either butter or olive oil, cover it with a damp kitchen towel and place it in the oven (turned off). Let it rest and rise for 2 hours. Then remove the dough from the bowl and knead for few minutes and cut into 3 or 4 equal balls (depending on how small or big you want the pizzas). Place each dough ball into another greased bowl and again place a damp towel over it and place in the oven (turned off). Let rise for another hour.

After the hour has passed, knead the air bubbles our of the dough and roll it out on a floured surface. Place the rolled out dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Top it with any toppings of your choice and bake for 15-17 minutes at 475 degrees.

Here is my favorite, I call it the Fresh Fresh Pizza (here are the ingredients. Place in the order in which they appear):

• A drizzle of Olive oil
• Sliced tomatoes
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Very finely minced garlic
• Very finely sliced red onion (use a mandoline if you have one)
• Whole basil leaves
• Fresh Mozzarella

Another one I love, is my Veggie Pizza:

• Tomato sauce
• Sliced tomatoes
• Minced garlic
• Sliced onions
• Minced bell peppers (all colors)
• Pinch of salt and pepper
  
• Minced kalmata olives
• Shredded mozzarella cheese

The beautiful thing is that it really is so easy to make and you can really put anything you like on it. Have fun with it - be experimental! This is truly such a fun activity to do with you family or even friends. Make the dough, have some friends over, open a bottle of wine and then reap the delicious fruits of your labor!

Happy eating!!

J